More on God's plan and free will?

Question

Ok, about hardening pharaoh's heart. So let's say it was Pharaoh's decision not to let Jews go. God did not directly make Pharaoh to make that decision. But he rather influenced his thoughts, so God can display his power and show them he was the only God.

Exodus 7:3-4

3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, 4 he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites.

Reading the verse 4, God knew Pharaoh would not listen to him. Doesn't this mean Pharaoh's life was predestined? So when someone's life is predestined, how can you say he has a free will?

Answer 1

Predestination infers Pharaoh had no choice in the matter. He could have chosen to let the Israelites go earlier but chose not to. God is the epitome of wisdom, and can read intentions of the heart.(1Samuel 16:7)  Just because it was obvious to him what Pharaoh would choose doesn't mean Pharaoh didn't have a choice.  Plus the signs or mighty acts were not just for Pharaoh, it was to show all nations,(because many would hear of them) and his own people; that he alone was the true God and he alone who should be worshiped and listened to.

Answer 2

I'll be completely honest with you. I don't know if Pharaoh's life was predestined. Predestination was something I've always wondered about. I guess its something about God that we may never fully understand. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a better answer.  

Answer 3

The Scripture is not to be interpreted in this way.  Pharaohs heart was allowed to be hardened not to say God hardened it.  It is the same with us who return to sin time and time again.  God allows it but not responsible for it.  God Bless

Answer 4

No it just means that God knew Pharaoh SOOO well that he knew what his choice would be.

When I was younger I had it explained to me like this...

If you have a child who loves ice cream more than any other dessert and you lay before him a selection of cakes, cookies, doughnuts, and ice cream and tell him he can only pick one thing, what do you think he'll choose? The ice cream! Did you force him? No, you just knew him and understood him well enough that the choice was obvious. Our Heavenly Father knows us better than anyone on earth ever could. He sets before us certain choices to test us but thankfully 1 Cor 10:13 tells us that we will not be tempted above that which we are able.

Answer 5

We get premonitions of what is going to happen. You can think of it as God telling you he hardens a heart, but that has no basis in what I know of God. To me, that is a human, distorted, interpretation that stands in the way of knowing God.